In Book 2 of a three-book series, things are dire for the inhabitants of Castle Gloom and the surrounding villages. The undead are leaving their graves in droves, a troll army is on the march from the north, and people are mysteriously disappearing from their homes. The people of Gehenna are blaming their misfortunes on Lilith Shadow, their young queen. They believe she has cursed them by using magic, a practice forbidden to women. With her trusty executioner among the missing and her blackguard soldiers busy battling trolls, it is up to Lily and her friend Thorn to root out the real cause of all the trouble. Their search will uncover ugly truths and eventually lead to a nightmarish confrontation with nothing less than the rulership of the realm at stake. Zombies, ghosts, trolls, dream weavers, a black-hearted villain, and a giant hero bat are only some of the imaginative delights that await readers who relish a soaring adventure combined with a hair-raising mystery.

In Book 3 of a three-book series, when Lily, aka the "witch queen" and bat-rider extraordinaire Thorn travel to Sultanate of Fire, things go terribly wrong. Instead of celebrating a reunion with their old friend K'leef, they are thrust into royal murder, an epic quest, and a deadly battle for the throne. While investigating the murder, Lily learns shocking truths about her life that could destroy all she has achieved. Yet, among the ruins of her old life, she has the opportunity to become someone greater . . . and more terrifying. Thorn and the magnificent bat, Hades, join the timid K'leef and the idiotic Gabriel Solar in a quest to find a phoenix. These fire birds are the key to saving the sultanate, but they nest within the Shardlands. The boys must defeat not only the monsters of that magical wilderness, but also rivals eager to claim the throne for themselves. Rivals that include a renegade from House Shadow . . . Chilling surprises, ghostly encounters, and belly laughs are just some of the treats in store for readers of this burning-hot desert adventure.

Thorn, an outlaw's son, wasn't supposed to be a slave. He's been sold to Tyburn, an executioner, and they're headed to Castle Gloom in Gehenna, the land of undead, where Thorn will probably be fed to a vampire. Lilith Shadow wasn't supposed to be ruler of Gehenna. But following the murder of her family, young Lily became the last surviving member of House Shadow, a long line of dark sorcerers. Her country is surrounded by enemies and the only way she can save it is by embracing her heritage and practicing the magic of the undead. But how can she when, as a girl, magic is forbidden to her? Just when it looks like Lily will have to leave her home forever, Thorn arrives at Castle Gloom. A sudden death brings them together, inspires them to break the rules, and leads them to soar to new heights in this fantasy with all the sparkle and luster of a starry night sky. Book 1 of a three book series. Advance Praise:"If you are pining for that thrill you felt when you first discovered Harry Potter, let me recommend Shadow Magic. Here is a fantasy world you will lose yourself in -- with Six Great Families of magic, the nicest princess of darkness you've ever met, a peasant boy with skills to rival Robin Hood, and a supporting cast of zombies, paladins, ghost puppies, executioners, minstrels, murderers, and a giant hero bat. I defy you not to love this story." -- Rick Riordan "Zestful, dynamic and addictive, Shadow Magic is storytelling at its most exuberant. Joshua Khan sweeps you up on the very first page and never lets you go. Close shaves, high adventure, wild fantasy, and giant bats -- this book has it all. I haven't had this much fun in ages. Sit back and enjoy the ride!" --Jonathan Stroud "Great, in-depth, unusual world-building coupled with funny, down-to-earth writing. Just call me Joshua Khan's number one fan."-Sarah Rees Brennan "There's plenty of magic to be found in Shadow Magic -- necromancy, giant bats, ghosts! -- but the real enchantment is the spell it weaves around the reader. I'd battle a whole army of the dead just to get to spend more time in Castle Gloom and the world Joshua Khan has created." -- Rachel Hawkins "An executioner's apprentice, an embattled queen of shadows, and a royal hostage join forces toward a common goal-survival in a treacherous world of monsters and magic. Shadow Magic is like the best of haunted house adventures-a dark and twisty thrill ride with just the right amount of creepy humor." -- Cinda Williams Chima "Working together but never losing sight of their individual objectives, Thorn and Lily uncover surprising truths about their families. Despite the gloomy setting, this book vibrates with hope. Short chapters filled with action, appealing characters, and cliff-hanger endings make this fantasy the kind of book readers will find hard to put down. Recommended for all middle grade collections." -- School Library Journal (starred review)

In Book 2 of a three book series, things are dire for the inhabitants of Castle Gloom and the surrounding villages. The undead are leaving their graves in droves, a troll army is on the march from the north, and people are mysteriously disappearing from their homes. The people of Gehenna are blaming their misfortunes on Lilith Shadow, their young queen. They believe she has cursed them by using magic, a practice forbidden to women. With her trusty executioner among the missing and her blackguard soldiers busy battling trolls, it is up to Lily and her friend Thorn to root out the real cause of all the trouble. Their search will uncover ugly truths and eventually lead to a nightmarish confrontation with nothing less than the rulership of the realm at stake. Zombies, ghosts, trolls, dream weavers, a black-hearted villain, and a giant hero bat are only some of the imaginative delights that await readers who relish a soaring adventure combined with a hair-raising mystery.

Lileth Shadow, princess of darkness, is struggling with her growing powers. Castle Gloom is filling with ghosts and zombies roam the country. Then Lily is attacked by a mysterious sorcerer known as Dreamweaver and his army of jewel-spiders. Can Thorn and his giant bat save Lily from the realm of sleep and help her overcome the evil Dreamweaver?

An ominous vision and the discovery of a gruesome corpse lead Sarah Engelmann into a terrifying encounter with the supernatural in 1913 Salem, Massachusetts. With help from Alex, an attractive Greek immigrant, Sarah sets out to track the evil to its source, never guessing that she will take on a conspiracy involving not only a 900-year vampire, but also a demon-loving Puritan warlock, disgruntled Egyptian gods, and an immortal sorcerer, all on a quest to recover the holy trumpet of the Archangel Gabriel. Relying on the wisdom of an elderly vampire hunter, Sarah's rabbi father, and her own disturbing visions, Sarah must fight a millennia-old battle between unspeakable forces, where the ultimate prize might be herself.

DREAMS ARE DANGEROUS Unless she unlocks the powers of her mind. He fights his Otherworld shadow self. And with only fae magic to re-spin their tales. Princess Æroreh Rosen was faerie blessed before her birth. To promote the New Dawn Era, the Queen coded her daughter with every feminine perfection. Beauty. Gentleness. Obedience. Musicality. Kindness. Grace. Good cheer. Hunger and lung sickness plague the Kingdom of Ealdspell. But Æroreh is plugged into The Dream, a program created by a sect of faeries to control the realms through illusions of beauty and contentment. All Æroreh has ever known is blissful servitude to a cursed system, and she believes her realm is prospering. Until a different faerie sect decides to wake her sleeping mind and set her true magic free. Meanwhile, Félip Batten MacKinley holds a dangerous secret. One made more threatening by the frostbite scar across his cheek. He’s spit on, beaten, and demonized by a community that values a pretty face over all else. With no easy future in sight, he accepts that he’ll die a burden to his foster parents, his true history erased. But a tempting offer from the faerie’s Fate Maker leads Félip to cross paths with the hauntingly beautiful Æroreh—a young woman who represents all he loathes. Yet only she has the power to awaken a new Dream. Æroreh is a gritty spin on the romantic tale of Sleeping Beauty and blends faerie magic and pagan ritual with high technology. For fans of Margaret Rogerson, Holly Black, fairy tales, and young adult dystopian fantasy. CAN BE READ AS A STANDALONE Name pronounced like Aurora.

Screenwriter and acclaimed film critic C. Robert Cargill makes his fiction debut with Dreams and Shadows, taking beloved fantasy tropes, giving them a twist, and turning out a wonderful, witty, and wry take on clash between the fairy world and our own. Something is missing from Ewan and Colby’s lives. Residing in the corners of their memories is their time in Limestone Kingdom, a realm filled with magic and mystery, a world where only some may travel amongst the menagerie of mystical souls and sinister demons. Cargill offers well-crafted characters and an absorbing, intricate plot that will appeal to fans of Neil Gaiman and Lev Grossman. Dreams and Shadows pulls you into an extraordinary universe of darkness that exposes the magic and monsters in our world, and in ourselves.

When the Pied Piper enchanted the children of Hamelin and led them away, Mari and her brother, Jakob, followed his song. Now they are trapped in a beautiful but cruel world inhabited by a horrid Beast. Finding a way to escape will require some wild magic, in this powerful story of a family torn apart by tragedy, and the magical adventure that heals them.

Moll Pecksniff and her friends are living as outlaws in a secret cave by the sea, desperate to stay hidden from the Shadowmasks. But further along the coast lies the Amulet of Truth, the only thing powerful enough to force the Shadowmasks back and contain their dark magic. So, together with Gryff, the wildcat that’s always by her side, and her best friends Alfie and Sid, Moll must sneak past smugglers, outwit mer creatures and crack secret codes to save the Old Magic. With more at stake than ever before and the dark magic rising fast, can Moll and her friends stop the Shadowmasks before it’s too late? Catapult into this page-turning adventure from the author of Sky Song, perfect for fans of J.K. Rowling, Michelle Harrison and Eva Ibbotson. 'Reminded me of the very best of the Harry Potter books' Piers Torday, author of The Last Wild 'A thrillingly wild adventure - bold, breathless and beautifully told' Jonathan Stroud, author of Lockwood & Co. 'No one does edge-of-seat action like Abi Elphinstone' Emma Carroll, author of Letters from the Lighthouse 'Abi Elphinstone’s books are full of adventure, wit, heart, and, above all, bravery’ Katherine Rundell, author of The Explorer ​ ‘Abi Elphinstone is proving to be a worthy successor to CS Lewis’ The Times 'A gifted storyteller... one of today's greatest children's authors' LoveReading Also by Abi Elphinstone: The Dreamsnatcher The Night Spinner Sky Song Winter Magic (anthology) Everdark (World Book Day) Rumblestar Jungledrop The Crackledawn Dragon Everdark